Mallets for playing upon percussion instruments



Nov. 16, 1965 H N E 3,217,581

MALLETS FOR PLAYING UPON PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS Filed Jan. 10, I954 b I I INVENTOR. FQED D. HING EF? ATTORNEYS the desired results to the fullest possible extent.

United States Patent 3,217,581 MALLETS FOR PLAYING UPON PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS Fred D. Hinger, Churchville, Pa. (206 Heritage Road, Cherry Hill, NJ.) Filed Jan. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 337,067 16 Claims. (Cl. 84-422) This invention relates to mallets for playing upon percussion instruments, and more particularly to drum mallets of cushioned-head type; and the invention deals especially with the head assembly itself and with the combination of certain head assemblies and certain sticks.

The principal object of the invention is to improve the tone quality obtainable by the performer in playing upon percussion instruments, and especially in the playing of timpani and other forms of drums.

Another object of the invention is to make it easier for the percussionist to play upon drums or other instruments, by the provision of mallets of improved feel and improved response.

Still another object is to improve the Wearing qualities of drum mallets and the like.

A further object is to prolong the period of time over which such mallets retain an acceptable tone-producing quality.

A further object is to attain one or more of the fore going objects while at the same time attaining simplicity and low cost in the making and assembling of the mallets.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to attain one or more of the objects above-mentioned, by the provision of a mallet which aids the player in producing pleasing and resonant tones, under good control, while at the same time reducing the risk of overplaying on the drum or other instrument; which is of especial significance in symphony orchestra performance.

How the foregoing and other objects of the invention are attained will be clear from the following description, taken together with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view, partly in longitudinal mid-section, and partly in elevation with a portion broken away, of a drum mallet embodying certain constructional features of the present invention, this being the present preferred embodiment;

FIGURE 2 is a similar view of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of the construction of FIGURE 2, with all parts shown in elevation;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary View of a third embodiment, with the head assembly of the mallet partly in section and partly in elevation; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 4, showing another modification.

Mallets made in accordance with the present invention are characterized chiefly by having a cushioned head assembly, of a novel, compound type, embodying a mass of yielding springy material Whose compactness is reduced in the central annular peripheral region thereof. The mass is preferably of fibrous material within which is embedded what may conveniently be termed spacer means, such as one or more separator members. This characteristic assembly is associated with a hard and stiff, but elastically resilient stick member, such as wood, plastic or rattan, the wood being found to cooperate best with the novel head assembly of the present invention, in producing In this description, and in the claims, unless and except where more limited by the context and/or by the significance of the claims in distinguishing from the prior art, the term yielding springy material (and in some instances the term fibrous material) is intended to be inclusive,

3,217,581 Patented Nov. 16, 1965 inter alia, of woven material, knitted material, felted material, laid-up yarns or filaments, and other flexible materials made of or embodying natural or artificial fibers, adapted to give the required yieldability or flexibility, as well as springiness and firmness. Typical of the materials contemplated, and at present preferred in the practice of the invention, is a wool flannel; and in utilizing such material in making up the mass referred to, the present preferred practice of the invention contemplates the use of a number of layers of such flannel assembled together to form the mass, the interior portion of such mass having one or more separators therein, of a nature and disposition more fully described hereinafter.

FIGURE 1 illustrates an embodiment of the invention typically adapted for use as a timpani mallet. In this case, the stick takes the form of an elongated handle member 6 of Wood, such as hickory wood or maple wood, which desirably has a cylindrical portion 6a in the region where it is grasped by the player, and a portion 611 tapering to a progressively decreasing diameter toward the head-end of the mallet. The head assembly, in this embodiment, comprises a mass of yielding fibrous material, configured as an annulus, generally indicated by the reference character 7. This mass comprises about eight or ten, or more annular layers of heavy wool flannel, half of which are designated 70: and half designated 71), in this embodiment.

The mass 7 is held, and preferably tightly clamped, by stiff inner and outer members 8a and 8b of less radial dimension than the radius of the annular mass, and these clamping members have securing means to hold them tightly against the inner and outer faces of the mass. In this embodiment, the inner member 8a is in the form of an integral shoulder member, flared out from the stick portion 6b; and the outer member 8b is in the form of a threaded nut (which may be of Wood, as is the stick), and the securing means includes a threaded extension 9, on said stick, passing through the central aperture of the mass 7, and threaded into the nut 8b.

Embedded within the mass 7 is a separator 10 of less radial dimension than the mass 7, and in this instance the separator is of a diameter about equal to that of the clamping members 8a and 8b. The separator 10 is preferably of a hard material, being for example a centrallyapertured disc or washer of hard rubber, fiber, phenolic resin, nylon or the like. Before clamping of the assembly, the mass formed by the stack of wool flannel members 7a and 7b is about 10 to 20 times the thickness of the hard disc 10, but when the mass has been compressed between the clamping members 8a and 8b the interior portion of the mass is compressed to about half or less of the original thickness of the pile. This results in producing a peripherally convexly curved contour of the mass, viewed in axial section, as shown in FIGURE 1, and the outer portion of the mass remains rather soft and yielding, compared with the inner portion which has been clamped. If the thickness of the initial mass, the diameter thereof, the diameter of the clamping members 8a and 8b, and the tightness of the clamping, are suitably chosen in relation to each other, the external curvature of the periphery of the final mass will be almost spherical.

The tone quality, inclusive of the softness or harshness of the effect produced by beating the drum with this mallet, can be modified somewhat by altering the diameter of the mass 7 relative to the diameters of the clamping members and the separator, and if the best effect is not exactly obtained when the mass is at its maximum diam eter as initially assembled, the effect can be modified by trimming off a portion of the periphery of the mass 7 (after it is clamped in the assembled head).

In the drawing, there is no clearly visible gap between the set of laminae 7a and the set 712, but because of the separation of these two sets, in their inner regions,

there is actually a greater yieldability of the surface of the mass 7 in the region of its maximum peripheral dimension. This is an important factor in the obtaining of a pleasing and resonant tone from the drum, and in minimizing the possibility that the performer will overplay the drum.

In the form shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, it will be seen that the stick 11 is a piece of rattan, which, as produced in nature, comprises a series of hard tubular shell members 11a, 11a, firmly joined together at intervals, as indicated at 11, and filled with a fibrous core 111) which forms a light but substantially solid body. The stick of rattan, though lighter in weight than solid wood, is quite strong and resilient, and, in conjunction with the head assembly of this invention, aids in producing a durable mallet of good feel, both as to balance and as to rebound when played upon the drum head, thus approaching the characteristics of the construction of FIGURE 1.

The head assembly in the embodiment of FIGURES 2 and 3 is structurally somewhat similar and functionally quite similar to that shown in FIGURE 1. The apertured flannel discs may be similar in size and number, and the separator member may be similar to that shown at 10 in FIGURE 1, except that in this embodiment the member 10' is thicker. The clamping members 8a and 8b are stiff discs which may be made identical with the separator 10. The assembly is clamped in place and also held to the stick by a single, central, screw 12. The interior body 11b of the rattan I find is well adapted to take the screw 12 and hold it tightly. The mode of assembly of this construction is readily seen from FIGURE 3. The rattan stick 11 may be drilled at 13, to a diameter and depth less than the diameter of the screw 12 and the depth to which it will ultimately penetrate the stick. The groups 7a and 7b of uncompressed apertured flannel discs are placed between the clamping discs 8a and 8b; and the spacer or separator member It) is located between the flannel groups 7a and 7b. The various parts are simply threaded onto the screw 12, serially (in the order shown); the tip of the screw is then inserted in the drill hole 13; and the screw then tightened down until the assembly appears as shown in FIGURE 2. By employing a separator 10 identical with the clamping discs 3a and 8b, 'the matter of assembly is further simplified.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 4, the number of layers of flannel, in the groups 141; and 14]) making up the mass 7, is substantially larger than in the preceding embodiments (there being, typically, twenty to twentyfive or more layers, in all), two separating discs 15 are employed, and the diameter of the flannel discs, the separating discs, and the clamping discs 16a and 16b is considerably larger. The stick l1 and the screw 12 may be similar to those shown in the embodiment of FIGURES 2 and 3. This mallet is particularly useful for playing the bass drum and the gong, whereas those shown in FIG- URES 1 to 3 are better adapted to playing the timpani 'and the tenor drum.

In the construction of FIGURE 4, added strength is given to the stick portion of the mallet, by winding the same with nylon thread, or some other strong filament, indicated at 17. This winding is preferably firmly sejcured on the stick 11 by being glued thereon, and subsequently coated with a shellac or varnish. Added strength is secured by this winding, while at the same time the playing quality of the mallet is improved; and great power and intensity can be employed in playing with this mallet, without having any excess weight.

In the construction of FIGURE 5, the assembly is generally similar to FIGURE 4, except for a modification of In general, I have found that the separator means should have a diameter not less than about 40% and not more than about of the largest diameter of the mass 7 of the head assembly-and the best results seem to be secured with the separator means having a diameter between 61% and 73% of the largest diameter of said mass. The diameter of the separator means may be somewhat less than the diameter of the clamping discs (as in FIG- URE 5) or about equal to the diameter of the clamping discs.

Any of the constructions illustrated may, by suitable changes in size, weight, and configuration, be adapted for use with timpani, bass drum, tenor drum, gong and other percussion instruments of the modern orchestra.

I claim:

1. A drum mallet head assembly comprising a mass of generally compacted but yielding springy material, stiff inner and outer members between which said homogeneous mass is clamped, said members being of substantially less radial dimension than the radius of said mass, securing means for holding said members tightly against the inner and outer faces of the mass, and the compactness of said mass in the central annular peripheral region thereof being reduced as compared with its com pactness in the immediately adjacent regions.

2. A drum mallet head assembly comprising a mass of yielding springy material, stilf inner and outer members between which said mass is clamped, said members being of substantially less radial dimension than the radius of said mass, securing means for holding said members tightly against the inner and outer faces of the mass, and means reducing the compactness of said mass in the central annular peripheral region thereof comprising spacer means located between two axially adjacent portions of said mass and being of substantially less radial dimension than the radius of said mass.

3. A drum mallet head assembly comprising a mass of yielding springy material, stiff inner and outer members between which said mass is clamped, said members being of substantially less radial dimension than the radius of said mass, securing means for holding said members tightly against the inner and outer faces of the mass, and means reducing the compactness of said mass in the central annular peripheral region thereof comprising spacer means located between two axially adjacent portions of said mass and being of substantially less radial dimension than the radius of said mass and buried within said mass.

4. A drum mallet head assembly comprising a homogeneous mass of generally compacted but yielding fibrous material, stiff inner and outer members between which said mass is clamped, said members being of substantially less radial dimension than the radius of said rnass, securing means for holding said members tightly against the inner and outer faces of the mass, said mass having its periphery convexly curved, viewed in axial section, and the compactness of said mass in the central annular peripheral region thereof being reduced as compared with its compactness in the immediately adjacent regions.

5. The construction of claim 4 wherein said mass comprises a plurality of layers of wool flannel or the like, and there is provided a means for reducing the compactness thereof in the central annular peripheral region comprising a separator between two groups of said layers, the separator being of less radial dimension than the radius of said mass.

6. A drum mallet head assembly comprising a mass I of yielding fibrous material having its periphery convexly curved, viewed in axial section, stifl inner and outer members between which said mass is clamped, said members being of substantially less radial dimension than the maximum radius of said mass, securing means for holding said members tightly against the inner and outer faces of the mass, and a separator disc completely embedded within Said mass,

'7. The construction of claim 6 wherein said disc has a diameter between about 40% and about 85% of the largest diameter of said mass.

8. The construction of claim 6 wherein said disc has a diameter between 61% and 73% of the largest diameter of said mass.

9. The construction of claim 6 wherein said disc is of a diameter approximating that of said clamping members.

10. The construction of claim 6 wherein said disc is of a diameter less than that of said clamping members.

11. A drum mallet having a hard, stiff and resilient stick, and a head assembly thereon comprising a homogeneous mass of generally compacted but yielding springy material, stiff inner and outer members between which said mass is clamped, said members being of substantially less radial dimension than the radius of said mass, securing means for holding said members tightly against the inner and outer faces of the mass, and the compactness of said mass in the central annular peripheral region thereof being reduced as compared with its compactness in the immediately adjacent regions.

12. A drum mallet according to claim 11 wherein said stick is of a hard, resilient fibrous material.

13. The construction of claim 12 wherein said stick is strengthened by an externally wound filament of substantial tensile strength.

14. The construction of claim 11 wherein said stick is made of rattan.

15. The construction of claim 14 wherein the securing means for holding the clamping members passes centrally therethrough and through said mass and is secured axially into said stick.

16. A construction according to claim 11 wherein said inner clamping member is integral with said stick, and the stick has an extension passing centrally through said mass, on which extension the outer of said clamping members is secured.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 852,881 5/1907 Kendis 84422 912,404 2/1909 Nuss 84422 1,343,164 6/1920 Smith 84422 1,739,275 12/1929 Zipperstein 84422 1,892,886 1/1933 Haight 84244 2,896,492 7/1959 Dane 84422 LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,217,581 November 16, 1965 Fred D. Hinger certified that error appears in the above numbered pat- It is hereby rection and that the said Letters Patent should read as ent requiring cor corrected below.

Column 4, line 16, for "a mass" read a homogeneous mass Signed and sealed this 18th day of October 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER ERNEST W. SWIDER Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

11. A DRUM MALLET HAVING A UHARD, STIFF AND RESILIENT STICK, AND A HEAD ASSEMBLY THEREON COMPRISING A HOMOGENEOUS MASS OF GENERALLY COMPACTED BUT YIELDING SPRINGY MATERIAL, STIFF INNER AND OUTER MEMBERS BETWEEN WHICH SAID MASS IS CLAMPED, SAID MEMBERS BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY LESS RADIAL DIMENSION THAN THE RADIUS OF SAID MASS, SECURING MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID MEMBERS TIGHTLY AGAINST THE INNER 